Convertirle rocking or rolling amusement device for children



1951 w. A. BILLINGHURST 2,541,327

CONVERTIBLE ROCKING OR ROLLING AMUSEMENT DEVICE FOR CHILDREN Filed May 15, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet l fl Wi 11 Td 2 43 INVENTOR.

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- CONVERTIBLE ROCKING 0R ROLLING AMUSEMENT DEVICE FOR CHILDREN Filed May 15, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. zggrmdAggzzzaywz;

Patented Feb. 13, 1951 UNHTED STATES PA m civics COWER'ITRLE Rnnxvmn. n12, pnvxnq AMUSEMENT DEVICE FOR CHILDREN 4 Claims.

This invention relates to a novel amusement device for children; the device being of a character subject to be optionally produced in a small size to serve as a toy adapted to be convertibly arranged to either roll or rock, or in a large size suitable to be ridden by a child and convertible to be so ridden either as a wheeled carrier or as a rocking carrier.

The invention has for an object to provide a novel amusement device comprising a body of any desired selected form or design, said body being provided with a. base structure for supporting or mounting the same, and said base structure comprising a rocker frame having traction wheels associated therewith; means being provided for optionally disposing said traction wheels below the said rocker frame, whereby to condition the device for rolling operation, or above said rocker frame, whereby to condition the device for rocking operation.

The invention has for a further object to provide an amusement device of the above stated character, wherein the rocker frame is provided with front and rear wheel axle bearing structures, the same having lower bearing means for supporting the wheel axles so as to dispose the wheels thereof in traction or service positions, and upper bearing means for supporting said wheel axles so as to dispose the wheels thereof in non-traction or out of service positions; mam'pulatable means being provided for optionally moving the wheel axles and wheels to and holding the same in either of said positions.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be understood from the following detailed description of the same.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View of the amuse ment device of this invention, as arranged for rolling operation; and Fig. 2 is a similar view of the same, as arranged for rocking operation} Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 3-3 in Fig. l, but drawn on an enlarged scale; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view, taken on line 4-4 in Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view, taken on line 5-5' in Fig. 4. 1

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional View taken on line 6-8 in Fig. 2, but drawn on an enlarged scale; Fig. '7 is a longitudinal sectional view, taken on line 'l! in Fig. 6; and Fig. 8 is a transverse vertical sectional view, taken on line 8-8 in Fig. 7.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the above described views to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, the novel amusement device according to this invention comprises a body It which may be of any suitable form, but which, as illustratively shown, preferably comprises a figure of selected animal form. The body in is mounted upon a novel base structure which comprises a pair of laterally spaced, longitudinally extending, parallel arcuate rocker members H,.to the forward and rearward end portions l2. and it of which the body it is suitably aflixed so as to bridge the base structure. The bottom tread surfaces of rocker members ii are adapted to rest upon the floor or ground in the rocker borne condition of the device.

Extending across and between and affixed to the rocker members H, respectivel adjacent front and rearward portions of the same, are

.way or guideway [8 being provided to extend between said lower and upper bearing sockets.

One embodiment of the forward bearing structures thus characterized is, as illustrated in the drawings, provided by extensions of the forward transverse tie-bar M which overlie the rocker members. Said end portions of the tie-bar l4 are formed to provide stop portions l9, angular to the underlying rocker member, and keeper portions 20 which extend rearwardly from said stop portions above and parallel to the underlying rocker membe in spaced relation thereto at a distance corresponding to the diameter of a wheel axle to be served by the lower bearing sockets it which are defined by these parts, From the free end of each keeperportionfzo ex tends an upstanding section?! which terminates atits upper end in a rearwardly projecting loop section 22 by which an upper bearing socket ll is defined. From said loop section 22 descends a section 23 which extends downwardly to the underlying rocker member; said section 23 being disposed in parallel relation to the section 2|, and being spaced therefrom a distance corresponding to the diameter of a wheel axle, thus defining the slideway or guideway l8 -which' comf municates with said lower and upper bearing sockets l6 and H.

In like manner, associated with the ends of the rear transverse tie-bar 15 are similar laterally aligned rear wheel axle bearing structures disposed in upstanding relation to the respective rocker members. These bearing structures are formed to provide forwardly open lower. bearing:

sockets Z4 and rearwardly open upper bearing sockets 25, a communicating slideway or guideway 26 being provided to extend between these lower and upper bearing sockets.

The rearward bearing structures; in an illustrative form thereof as shown, are similar to the above described forward bearing structures, and. comprise extensions of the rear transverse tie-bar I which overlie the rocker members, and which" are similarly formed to provide stop projections 21, angular to the underlying rocker'member, and keeper. portions 28 which extend forwardly from said. stop portions above and parallel to'the underlying rocker member in spaced relation thereto ata distance corresponding, to thedi'am'e terofla wheellaxle to be served-by the lower bearing. sockets. 24. which. are defined by these parts. From the free end of each keeper portion 28' extends an upstanding section. which terminates at. its upper end in aforwardly projecting, loop section 313 by which an upper bearing socket 25 is. definedl From said loop section" 30 descends asection 3|. which extends downwardly to the underlying rocker member; saidsection 31 being. disposed. in. parallel. relation. to the section. 2.9,. and being, spaced. therefrom. a distance correspending to the diameter. of a. wheel axle, thus defining the slideway. or. guideway which communicates with said lower and upper bearing sockets-24 and 25.

The reference: character 32 indicates a front wheelv axle, which is arranged to. extend transversely across the. forward portion of the base structure, so. as to be journaled' in andbetween the above: described forward bearing structures. For-ward. traction wheels 33 are mounted upon opposite end soflsaidf-rontwheel axle. Similarly. the referencecharacter 34 indicates a rear wheel'- axle, which is. arranged to extend transversely across-the rearward portionof the base structure, so as to bev journaled in and between the above described rearward bearing. structures. Rearwardtractionwheels 35 are. mounted upon oppositeendsof said. rear wheel axl'e.

The. front and rear wheel axles 32 and 34 areinterconnected by manipulatable means for controlling. the positioning thereof in. either the lower. or. upper bearing, sockets of. the af'oresaidi bearing structures,v whereby to optionally dispose.

. the: traction wheel'sv either. inv their service. positionor intheir out of serviceposition.

The positioningcontrol for the. axles andwheels. is-provided by: a toggle lever system whichis connected with; thefront. and rear axles 3'2 and-. 34" to extend. therebetween.

Said. toggle. lever system, in. a preferred form thereof. asshown, comprises. forward leveri members 35. having. their outer endportions-pivotally connected with the. front axle member 32 respectively at points-inwardlyof and adjacent to the respective rocker members it, and rearward lever members 31- having their outer end portions pivotally connected with therear. wheel axle 34,. also respectively at points inwardly of and adjacent: to: the respective rocker. members LL. Said lever members 35 are shaped to converge toward their inner ends, and the lever members 31 are similarly shaped to converge toward their inner ends, whereby inner ends 38 of the former and inner ends 39 of the latter meet for pivotal interconnection by a pivoting bolt 49 or the like, thus forming the central joint of the toggle lever system. Connected between corresponding lever members. 35-31 at the. respective sides of the toggle lever system are. pull. springs ii.

When it is desired to dispose the traction wheels 3335 in traction service position wherein the same are positioned below the plane of the rocker members ff, so as to condition the device for rolling operation, the toggle lever system is downswungsovasto extend or expand the same, and thereby exert outward thrust upon the axle members 32' and 34, thus not only to lower the latter. but. also to carry them respectively into the lower bearing sockets l6 and 24. In thus depressing the toggle lever. system, the. lever members.-3G-3'i aredownswung, across a dead center horizontalplana. which intersects the axle members 32-34,, to a stopped position wherein the tension of the pull: springs 41 holds the toggle lever systemdepressed'in. position to retain the axle membersagainst. displacement from said lower bearing sockets l6 and 24 (see Figs. 1, 4 andz5) The means for stopping the togglelever system in. the aforesaid depressed. position may comprise either one or both of the followingprovisions.- A stop plate: i2 is affixed' to the inner end portions of. the lever members. 31 soas. to. bridge-therebetween and thus be engaged by the. projecting extremities of. the. inner end. portions 3-8. of the. lever members S-Eiand/or. laterally pro.- iecting stoplugs 43' are provided in connection.

- withthe lever members 36 and 31, so-disposedas to abut the rocker members H, andthus limit the downswinging movement of the toggle lever system;

When: it is desired: to. disposed the tractionwheels 33 35 in non -traction or out of service position wherein: the same are positioned. above the plane of the rocker members l-l so as toconditionthe device for rocking operation, the toggle lever system is up swung so as to contract the same; and thereby exert inwardthrust upon the axle members 32 and 34, thus not only toraisethelatter through the slideways or. guide-' ways. [8* and-:Ztiof the bearing structures'buti also tot carry them: respectively into the upper bearing: sockets I! and 25. In thus rasing the toggle-lever system, thelever'memb'ers 35 and 31 areupswung across: the aforesaid dead. center plane so as tocontract the same, and thereby exert inward thrust upon the axle members 32 and- 3 soas to retain the same againstdisplacement from the upper bearing. sockets IT and. 25 in which they are: entered, whereby thezaxles and their traction wheels are held in non-traction out of service positionsv (see-Figs. 2, 6,37. and 8). In such raised positions of. the: lever members .'i -$15!, the pull springs ilexert: inward pull thereupon whereby the axles 32--34 are entered and held. in the bearing seckets H and 25' against displacement therefrom, thus holdin thev traction wheels in the desired out of service position whichpermits the rocker members to support the device for rocking instead of rolling operation.

From the above description it will be. under stood that the instant inventionprovides a novel amusement. device. which may be optionally priod-uced. in; small size as a toy. or in. large sizes so as to be ridable by a child, and in either case the device is easily and quickly convertible for either rolling or rocking operation at will.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. In a device of the kind described, a base structure having parallelly spaced longitudinal rocker members, front and rear axles having wheels mounted on their opposite ends, front and rear bearing means for the respective front and rear axles extending upwardly above the bottom tread surfaces of the rocker members and unitary with said rocker members, said front and rear bearing means having substantially vertical guideways terminating in upper and lower bearing sockets projecting substantially horizontally therefrom in communication therewith, the upper bearing sockets being directed inwardly and the lower bearing sockets bein directed outwardly, the front axle being vertically slidable through the guideways of the front bearing means between the upper and lower bearing sockets thereof, the rear axle being vertically slidable through the guideways of the rear bearing means between the upper and lower bearing sockets thereof, the upper bearing sockets being spaced from the bottom tread surfaces of the rocker members at an elevated level adapted to dispose the wheels of the front and rear axles above said tread surfaces, whereby to withdraw said wheels to out of service positions when said axles are engaged in said upper bearing sockets, the lower bearing sockets being spaced from the bottom tread surfaces of the rocker members at a level adjacent thereto adapted to dispose the wheels of the front and rear axles for projection below said-tread surfaces, whereby to dispose said wheels in service positions when said axles are engaged in said lower bearing sockets, and a manually operable toggle lever system interconnected between the front and rear axles by which said axles may be simultaneously moved to selectively engage and releasably secure the same in either the upper or lower bearing sockets.

2. In a device of the kind described, a base structure having parallelly spaced longitudinal rocker members, front and rear axles having wheels mounted on their opposite ends, front and rear bearing means for the respective front and rear axles extending upwardly above the bottom tread surfaces of the rocker members and unitary with said rocker members, said front and rear bearing means having substantially vertical guideways terminating in upper and lower bearing sockets projecting substantially horizontally therefrom in communication therewith, the upper bearing sockets being directed inwardly and the lower bearing sockets being directed outwardly, the front axle being vertically slidable through the guideways of the front bearing means between the upper and lower bearing sockets thereof, the rear axle being vertically slidable through the guideways of the rear bearing means between the upper and lower bearing sockets thereof, the upper bearing sockets being spaced from the bottom tread surfaces of the rocker members at an elevated level adapted to dispose the wheels of the front and rear axles above said tread surfaces, whereby to withdraw said wheels to out of service positions when said axles are engaged in said upper bearing sockets, the lower bearing sockets being spaced from the bottom tread surfaces of the rocker members at a level adjacent thereto adapted to dispose the wheels of the front and rear axles for projection below said tread surfaces, whereby to dispose said wheels in service positions when said axles are engaged in said lower bearing sockets, and a manually operable toggle level system comprising pairs of divergent forward and rearward lever members having their meeting inner end portions pivotally connected by an intermediate joint and their outer ends pivotally coupled respectively with said front and rear axles, swinging movements of said forward and rearward lever members being adapted to carry said intermediate joint up and down across a dead center defined by a horizontal plane which intersects said front and rear axles, pull spring means extending between forward and rearward lever members, and means to limit downward movement of said intermediate joint across said dead center, limited down swinging movement of the said lever members across said dead center being operative to extend the toggle lever system, whereby to move the axles to and hold the same in lower bearing sockets to dispose the wheels for rolling operation of the device, and upswinging movement of the lever members across said dead center being operative to contract the toggle lever system, whereby to move the axles to and hold the same in upper bearing sockets to dispose the wheels above the bottom tread surfaces of the rocker members to permit rocking operation of the device.

3. In a device of the kind described, a base structure having substantially parallel horizontal rocker members with bottom tread surfaces,

front and rear axles extending transversely of said base structure above the bottom tread surfaces of said rocker members, wheels provided on said front and rear axles, front and rear bearing means for the respective front and rear axles disposed above the bottom tread surfaces of the rocker members and forming a part of said rocker members, said front and rear bearing means having substantially vertical guideways and upper andlower bearing sockets projecting substantially horizontally from the respective upper and lower ends of said guideways in communication therewith, the said upper bearing sockets being disposed to project inwardly toward each other from the corresponding guideways and said lower bearing sockets being oppositely directed to project outwardly from the guideways toward the front and rear ends of the rocker members, the opposite end portions of the front axle being vertically slidable within the guideways of the front bearing means and adapted for selective engagement within the upper and lower bearing sockets thereof, the opposite end portions of the rear axle being similarly slidable within the guideways of the rear bearing means and adapted for selective engagement within the upper and lower bearing sockets thereof, the upper bearing sockets being spaced from the bottom tread surfaces of the rocker members sufficiently to elevate the wheels of the respective front and rear axles above said bottom tread surfaces in out of service position when said axles are engaged in said upper bearing sockets, the lower bearing sockets being spaced from the bottom tread surfaces of the rocker members at such a distance that the wheels will project below said bottom tread surfaces in service position when the axles of said wheels are engaged in said lower bearing sockets, a manually operable toggle lever system interconnected between the front and rear axles by which said axles may be selectively engaged with the respective upper and lower bearing sockets and secured releaseably in such engagement, said toggle lever system comprising pairs of forward and rearward lever members having their: meetingv inner ends. pivotally; inter. connected by a central joint andtheir outer. ends.- pivotally coupled. respectively to: said. front. and. rear axles, swinging movementsof said forward" and rearward lever members being adapted to. carry said central joint? up and; down across. a dead. center position definedbya horizontalplane it: which the'axes' of the frontand rear axles arelocated, pull springv means interconnected. between forward and rearward lever members, and means. tolimit downward movement of the:c.entral joint below the dead. center position whereby said pull: spring: means is prevented: from Withdrawing'the axles from: the'l'ower bearingisockets.

42.Iniai device 01 thekinddescribed' as. defined; in claim: 3; the construction and: arrangement of the levermembers of the toggle lever system REFERENCES. CITED The following references are of record in the file of this. patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 120,783: Skinner Nov. '7, 1871. 1,364,684 Beck Jan. 4, 1921. 1,674,741 Rossman June26, 1928.

forwardandrearward. 

